10 Largest Floods In the US

  • Lehigh River Valley Flood

    Lehigh River Valley Flood

    Flash flood triggered by a rainstorm over 24 hours on June 4 and 5. Most authoritative publication concerning PA weather history.
  • Williamsburg, Massachusetts

    Williamsburg, Massachusetts

    Flood and Dam collapse. Nearly filled the Williamsburg Reservoir, which collapsed wiping out 4 towns in Western Ma within 1 hour. The dam burst was so loud, farmer miles away said it sounded louder than thunder.
  • Johnstown Flood 1889

    Johnstown Flood 1889

    An deadliest flood In American History, with heavy rains led to catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam on the Little Conemaugh River (PA). Flood Killed 2,209 with 979 missing and presumed dead.
  • Oil Creek, Pa

    Oil Creek, Pa

    Rains over Northeastern Pa caused the failure of an earthen dam about 7 miles upstream of Titusville.It swept through that town damaging an oil refinery, and the top of the oil on top of the flood caught fire, creating a flame topped wall of water.
  • Heppner, Oregon Flood 1903

    Heppner, Oregon Flood 1903

    Torrential rains over the Willow Creek Watershed triggered a violent flash flood that sent a wall of water 40 feet high through Heppner, wrecking all but 3 businesses and 2/3 of its homes. 247-251 deaths.
  • Central Texas Tropical Depression

    Central Texas Tropical Depression

    Flood could be categorized as a regional flood or several flash floods affecting several rivers. The fatalities along the river banks were flash flooding and coverage was about 10,000 square miles.
  • Republican River Flood

    Republican River Flood

    Took place in Eastern Colorado and Southwestern Nebraska as the Republican River flooded. The speed of the river's rise that led to most of the deaths. 168 deaths.
  • Buffalo Creek, West Virginia Flood

    Buffalo Creek, West Virginia Flood

    Heavy rains led to the failure of a coal slurry impoundment dam managed by Pittston Coal Company. The dam's failure overwhelmed two other dams. 126 deaths
  • Black Hills, South Dakota

    Black Hills, South Dakota

    A heavy thunderstorm caused a flash flood throughout the Black Hills of South Dakota. Most damage and fatalities occurred in Rapid City, which flooded when the Canyon Lake Dam became clogged with debris and failed.
  • Central Texas Floods

    Central Texas Floods

    The remnants of Tropical Storm Barry, which made landfall as a tropical depression in Northeast Mexico on June 29. Torrential rains caused devasting flooding. 141 deaths